This week we travel back forty two years to 1978. The 70’s were drawing to a close, a lot of changes had taken place and the 80’s promised even more change. If you were around then how much do you remember?
As we always do we’ll start off with the cost of living for 1978. The average in come that year was $16,975. A new 3 bedroom home averaged $54,700 and new cars were in the $5,400 – $7.500 range and gas was just 63 cents a gallon. As for food back then a dozen eggts were 48 cents, a pound of ground beef was just 67 cent s and a gallon of milk $1.70. You could go to the movies for just $1.75 a ticket. Y ou also still had F.W. Woolworth to do all your bargain shopping in long before Wal Mart came along……In the news headlines for 1978, Mass suicide at the People’s Temple. The Bodies of the Rev. Jim Jones and at least 900 of his followers are found by Guyana officials……The “Son of Sam” killer in new York City is sentenced to 25 year to life……NASA unveils the first group of women astronauts and the group includes Sally Ride…….US Teachers strike extend summer holidays for thousands of students…….The first Susan B. Anthony Dollar is minted………The first mobile cellular phone is introduced……The Garfield comic strip makes its debut.
In the world of entertainment some of the hit movies that year included Animal House, Grease, The Deer Hunter, Jaws 2, Saturday Night Fever and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. As for the top music makers they would include Paul McCartney and Wings, The Commodores, Rolling Stones, Boomtown Rats and Bee Gees. As for 1978 TV viewing among the big hit shows The Muppets, Love Boat, Little House on the Prairie, The Rockford Files, Quincy M.E. and Charlie’s Angels. In 1978 we lost several celebrities like actor Bob Crane, actor Gig Young, comedienne Totie Fields, rock singer Keith Moon of The Who and also 2 Popes. First was Pope Paul VI, then John Paul 1 just 33 days after he became Pope.
In the world of porn continued new technology brought a lot of new looks to films. There was a slight shift to the west coast from New York, mainly San Francisco. Porn was now being shown in some regular mainstream theaters on special dates. 1978 produced some excellent adult films and we take a look back at one of them now, “7 Into Snowy”.
7 onto Snowy – Entertainment Ventures – Director – Antonio Sheperd – Cast – Kay Parker, Abigail Clayton, Kristine Heller, Bonnie Holiday, Paul Thomas and the Magnificent Seven.
This was a takeoff on the Snow White fairytale and with an excellent cast and some sharp writing, they pulled it off quite well. The setting is in San Francisco, home to the Mitchell Brothers who were doing some good porn at the time. However, this one was not a production of theirs, but nonetheless, it would go on to become a true golden age classic in adult films and kick start the careers of several performers.
The basic premise is that Snowy, beautifully played by Abigail Clayton, has lost her father and after his death left he r with a nice fortune. The wicked stepmother, convincingly played by Kay Parker is fill with hate and inner rage. She is not only threatened by the fact that Snowy has come into this money, but also her budding beauty and sexuality. Everything has made the stepmother, Fedora jealous and now she needs to strike back at Snowy in a dastardly way. While Snowy has come into the money it is still Fedora’s home and she rules over the servants and Snowy. So she hatches a plan to have her servant/young lover (Paul Thomas) seduce Snowy and break her down. He does as he is told and comes upon Snowy who is cleaning the bathroom. One thing leads to another and these two get it on right in the bathroom and the mission is accomplished, but Fedora isn’t done yet. Next she has another servant, Bonnie Holiday, take part in her scheme to make sure she also gets Snowy to succumb to her womanly charms and we get a pretty solid girl/girl.
There is a lot more that takes place as Fedora continues to break Snowy down. Her servant/lover Paul Thomas and Snowy have a late night interlude on the beach, Fedora gets in to some wild and crazy sexual things. She puts a spell on Snowy that finds her locked in a storeroom and then the appearance of the “Magnificent Seven” comes along for the big orgy scene. One of the seven is an uncredited John Leslie at the beginning of his adult career. It all culminates into an all out scene where Snowy is taken advantage of as Fedora gleefully enjoys seeing Snowy in this situation. Problem is in the reissues, this scene has been over edited and doesn’t have the bite the original had.
Still, this is an excellent film, very deserving of all the honors it has received over the years. It was also a stepping stone for Parker, Clayton and Leslie. The cinematography was well done, the settings were lush, the acting was exceptional giving this plenty of realism and believability. The sex scenes, there are six of them, might be considered tame by today’s standards, but there is no question that Ms. Parker and Ms. Clayton were two very sexual and talented ladies. If you want to enjoy a true classic and can find a good DVD reissue, get hold of “7 into Snowy” it will be an entertaining experience.
Art Koch, National Features & DVD Editor, NightMoves Magazine and AAN
